Our human mind likes to break things down, to contextualize and put ideas, people and things into tidy boxes. Doing so helps us better understand what can initially be mentally overwhelming. It also allows us to establish boundaries, to draw big, fat lines of safety around who we are, and to help make sense of our existence. This human approach to making sense of things limits our ability to expand. It limits our ability to evolve as a species. You have been exposed to these universal themes in mythological stories. For eons, philosophers, mythologists, scientists, psychologists, priests and artists have all been sharing these same universal truths. They’ve been spreading the same message, just using a different language to do so.
Physicists have spoken of matter, particles and the elements to describe what the mystics call co-creation. If you study the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, you will discover its core fundamentals are those of manifestation. The same is true of the observer effect. You see these constructs are not new age; they are not “woo-woo.” They’ve been with us since we crawled from the primordial soup. It’s the ego that likes to label and define.
These mythological stories and those I have shared throughout these pages have helped me realize how important it is for us to unite in our connectedness, including our language and theories of creation. I have realized that to truly live our most authentic and abundant lives, we have to learn a universal language. We have to embrace the lexicon of truth. This is no small task and is going to take a bit of reprogramming, as the only language we have known is one of separation. Let it be understood that this is no fault of our own. Until now, we weren’t fully awake. As Alan Watts writes in The Book, “We seldom realize that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society.”
We are awake now, however, which means we have a choice in where we go from here. We have a choice to celebrate our unity, wholeness and essential heritage. We can and should choose to emerge from the confines of our cultural containers. These containers run the gamut from our fields of work, level of wealth, relationship status, age and even the neighbourhoods we live in. We have gone so far as to categorize ourselves by diet types. We are known to say, “I am a vegetarian” or “He is paleo.” If you really stop and think about it, what we’re literally saying is “I am a diet.”
It has been so easy for us to surrender to the ignorance of the ego and label all things around us, including our beliefs. But now that we’re expanding as a species, we’re beginning to speak openly and accurately of our Oneness. We’re embracing the themes of living I have shared, which support a new way of existing, of being in service to ourselves and all beings everywhere. Eckhart Tolle in A New Earth said, “When you don’t cover up the world with words and labels, a sense of the miraculous returns to your life that was lost a long time ago when humanity, instead of using thought, became possessed by thought.”
Accepting our and
Collectively, we have entered a new state of consciousness and more of us are embracing the timeless truths I have shared in this book. We’re seeing examples of this new state of mind in advertising and across the web, such as Ford’s ad for their 2014 Fusion Hybrid that boldly speaks to the power of and. It opens with a driver and passenger discussing how the Fusion gets great gas mileage and looks good, which they say is much better than having to choose between good looks or great gas mileage. The passenger then suggests that having to choose between aesthetics and miles per gallon is just as ridiculous as someone being large or in charge. The ad then transitions into a scene where a shrunken down, three-inch man standing on top of a conference table is pointing his finger and shouting at a group of normal-sized colleagues. The ad is making the point that being large or in charge is ineffective, emphasizing the fact that and is better.
Not only are we seeing the power of and permeating mainstream media, but also inspirational quotes from everyone including the Dalai Lama to Albert Einstein are peppering users’ Facebook and Twitter profiles. This is happening as our collective consciousness demands the authentic expression of our beliefs in compassion, mindfulness and unity. We’re even seeing content writers and contributors to the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Huffington Post delivering content that speaks to meditation, collective consciousness, living in the present and manifestation.
On the Mind Openerz website, an article shares how scientists have proven DNA can be reprogrammed by words and frequencies, and on September 7, 2013, the New York Times published an article about how there are gifts and lessons to be learned from suffering. This mass awareness and people’s desire to share their beliefs are spreading at a rate faster than ever before. Messages of Oneness, compassion, and well-being are replacing those of separatism and self-gratification. Collectively, we’re accepting the truth that at the core of our very beings are simple and applicable tools to help us on our journey. You, by the mere fact of choosing to read this book, have tapped into this awareness. Maybe you arrived here from a feeling that our society was digressing, that with the economic collapse, broken families, rising obesity and divorce rates, we were headed straight into self- and collective destruction.
The truth is, we were, but due to more of us waking up to these simple truths, we have turned a corner and possibly, without knowing, have begun a wave of dramatic human evolution. In doing so, we have said yes to exploring a new way of thinking. We have chosen to consider there is a better way to operate in all areas of our existence, even advancing this awareness in our careers and business life. Something is moving us to seek greater knowledge. Knowledge of what’s really true for us, and all the while we’re developing a language that best expresses our emerging deep wisdom.
Little by little, our once-casual conversations are evolving into heart-centred and awe-inspiring discussions about this simple fact. As we evolve, we’re beginning to feel free to express our desires for more harmony, fun, abundance, love and joy—in both our work and relationships. What is brilliant is that not only do we desire these inborn gifts, but we also believe wholeheartedly that we can have them all. We trust they are ripe and ready for harvesting. It’s this belief that’s responsible for birthing our new state of being.
As we live with greater awareness and observation, our collective vibration is providing direct access to pure potential. By focusing our attention on this whole new state of being, we’re beginning to intuit a higher meaning. We’re inherently gaining a heightened sense of our role in the world and becoming more mindful of our thoughts, actions and speech. As we become more present to the vibrations of our interactions, we are evaluating how we are relating to others and ourselves. We are stopping to ask if we are expanding or contracting and wondering if our actions are increasing or decreasing our life force. We are beginning to question how we are speaking and if the language we are using is appropriate for our new level of cosmic understanding.
As we reawaken, we’re beginning to realize that spiritual laws are actually universal truths that apply to every aspect of life. And we’re beginning to realize that we’re ready for monumental change in our lives. In the past decade, there has been a convergence of atrocities that have beaten us down so much that the only way out has been up. We have been witness to and victims of unemployment, seen millions of loved ones and colleagues die every year from preventable diseases like obesity and diabetes, and we’ve been burdened by corruption in government, rising tax rates, war and famine. The universal truths I’ve been sharing are beating us over the head right now because we have hit rock bottom, and it’s time for us to rise like the phoenix. Enough of us are tired of the way we have collectively been living, and if enough of us believe, we can and will shift consciousness and repair the world.
The power of language
The words we use can instruct, enlighten, inform, and comfort. They can also destroy, belittle, berate and harm. There is power in our words and in the reasons we choose to use them. A few years back, I travelled to Montana for a week-long trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. During my journey, I chose to take a scenic route and stopped for a bit at the shores of a lake. The thousands of trees that had obviously been cut down disheartened me. Just to the left of where I stood, there was a big sign posted by the forestry service. It read, “This timber has been harvested for your viewing pleasure.” The sign did nothing to lessen my sadness over the destruction. I thought about the choice of phrasing, and it occurred to me that if they had selected words such as, “These trees have been cut down so you can see the lake better,” it would have had a completely different effect on me as the reader. They intentionally chose less abrasive words to avoid upsetting people.
We see the conscious and unconscious selection of words all the time in our lives. For instance, there are those who cling to the words of their priest. They’re so deeply moved when he talks about how, if we trust in God, miracles will abound in our lives. There are those who cleave to the words of their chosen spiritual leader while shunning parallel ideals presented by a leader whose word choice is unfamiliar.
Consider the Palestinian and the Jew. Imagine you put them on opposite sides of an arbitrary boundary with the Palestinian dressed in one colour scarf and the Jew in another. By the slightest difference in appearance, they will shoot to kill each other. Yet, if you strip them of their clothes and put them in a room together, you may not be able to say what the differences between them are. It’s abominable there is genocide over such menial differences. It’s ludicrous that, like the artist who thinks the scientist is talking gibberish, we have historically chosen to focus on differentiating words. For far too long, we have lowered our states of being to that of words, and in doing so, we have failed to accept our universal language. This has caused considerable disconnection and suffering among humanity. It has resulted in the mass destruction of our world and lives. If we all approached our lives from a place of integration and understood that what we each speak about is coming from a single source, these constructs for living would go a long way towards repairing the world.
Unfortunately, we have only known how to function with a local language that we have learned. Yet, as we evolve, we learn to speak with integrity and only of that which is universally true and accurate, but only when what we have to say is more beautiful than silence do we evolve. Our speech and selection of words must become a practice in mindfulness, and as a result, we’ll know no judgment or separation.
Language is originally and essentially just a system of signs and symbols which denote real occurrences or echo in the human soul. The universal languages of music, touch, body language, a smile, and those of our common, shared existence have always existed, but somewhere along our journey, they were fragmented by the ignorance of our ego.
A new vocabulary
Scientologists have developed and speak their own language. It’s so specialized that they had to print a dictionary to translate all of their words. L. Ron Hubbard, the man who founded Scientology, made this a priority so followers would use precise terminology and avoid confusion with words that have other meanings. Their terminology is so unique and precise, it has been likened to math.
I’m not suggesting we rewrite the dictionary, nor am I praising Scientology; rather, I’m emphasizing the importance of having a precise language that supports our evolution—and I’m emphasizing that we must all learn this language to better support our unity. To articulate further, let me share a couple of examples of old, unconscious and inaccurate phrases. Both are common to our Western language yet are no longer aligned with our heightened level of consciousness. Take the overused phrase mind-body connection. The use of the word connection implies separation. In our new way of thinking and speaking, we understand that, since there’s no separation between body and mind, there cannot be a connection. Rather, the accurate phrase is mind-body Oneness. Similarly, the use of the word “leadership” is also one of an old paradigm. It connotes that there are sheep and there are herders. Again, it implies separation. It suggests there is an elite figure who presides over someone who is less than. Leadership can and should be replaced with heroism, because we’re all equally the heroes of our own lives.
Do you see how such a subtle shift in the way we speak helps ensure accurate articulation of our existence? Being mindful of phrasing and the communication of ideas is essential to the evolution of the human condition. As we become keen observers of our thoughts, actions and words, we begin to eradicate ignorance and miscommunication.
We need to begin speaking the language of intuition, the language of rightness and truth, extinguishing those ideas and words that separate us. We can be mindful of our words and repel those that creep in unconsciously or as a result of habit. It would behoove us to speak words of purity, as doing so requires pure thought. Words like sustainability need to be left behind. Advertising Age named sustainability one of the “jargoniest jargon” words of 2010, calling it “a good concept gone bad by mis- and overuse.” The list was subtitled “Here’s a List of Words We Wish You’d Stop Saying,” and I agree. Besides, who wants to only live a sustainable life or have a sustainable relationship with their child? By its very nature, this word limits possibility. It’s more consciously evolved to say one wants life-affirming relationships and experiences. In the world of commerce, a corporation would apply this understanding by saying, “Our business practices are life-affirming.”
Additionally, the use of the term “power of and” is paramount for us to continue advancing as a species. Speaking about the integration of ideas and principles is universally correct. Doing so helps unite us, ending the suffering we have inflicted upon ourselves from a mindset of duality and the tyranny of “or.” We must also welcome whole-brain consulting and intuitive analytics into the language of commerce. These constructs and phrases replace old and stodgy “right-brain” versus “left-brain” phrasing as they relate to business.
At Meriwether, we use phrases like the “art of the agreement.” The underpinnings of this phrase contextualize how integrating finesse and grace contributes to mutual satisfaction. Similarly, intuitive analytics balance empathy, patience, finesse, compassion and creativity with logic, analytics and process. It results in more than just a transaction; it ensures transformation and a positive outcome for all parties. And, by doing business with mutual benefit in mind, we practice compassionate commerce.
This more evolved way of speaking has been used throughout time, but has rarely been applied to consumerism or the world of business. The reemergence of this accurate language is shaping and redefining what has traditionally been relegated to spirituality, art, science, philosophy and mythology. We have now put it into a more relevant lexicon to be applied to commerce in the same way we apply it to our personal interactions. As more heroes in industry opt to
choose their language wisely, we will expand our possibilities. As corporations and small businesses alter the way they brand to be more universally aligned, they will create a change in commerce, which will result in a powerful ripple effect, commanding greater change in the world. A more vibrationally comfortable interaction will be created between the consumer and the products and services they elect to buy. At a core level, this will fundamentally change the world.
All of these universal laws and ideas are being supported by modern-day science. Physicists and scientist are discovering what sages, yogis, shamans, rabbis, priests and philosophers have always known. They’re proclaiming with certainty that we’re all interconnected, that we’re truly entangled in a single universal web (called quantum entanglement, as discussed before). In The Tao of Physics, Fritjof Capra tells us that quantum theory is a scientifically sound and elegant expression of the relationship between the observer and the observed universe, which, as implied by the word universe, is, in truth, one unified field of pure consciousness.
When we come to understand the interplay of all things, we immediately know how our actions, big or small, affect the cosmos. Who we are at any given moment and how we treat others and ourselves directly impacts the well-being of all creatures everywhere. Our existence is multidimensional. We live in an infinite reality and one with infinite possibilities, no matter how deep of a mindless hole we may have dug ourselves into. Together, since our vibrations of energy are so strong and our bonds unbreakable, we can now realize how we effect greater change. We do this by observing and becoming ever more mindful of our actions, words and deeds. And we do this by accepting our Oneness, speaking the pure universal language of awareness and taking responsibility for our role in the collective imprint.
We cannot run from these truths and recent discoveries. If joy and abundance are desires we share, it’s essential we rewire and reprogram our perceived separateness and transform it into Oneness.
It’s time to download a new vocabulary and way of processing ideas about who we are and why we are here. In order to evolve, we need to liberate ourselves from old paradigms and the confines of our learned thoughts and language. There are limitations to our rational thinking, and it’s ultimately our intuitive wisdom that will set us free. As we act consciously, we will no longer need to look outside ourselves for value, happiness and strength. We will no longer feel compelled to look to our partners to feel whole, to friends for a compliment, a job or diet to define our identity, or our experiences to mould and shape who we are. We will come to know we have everything we need within our very being and that, by being plugged into the collective unconscious, we’re all heroes of our own life-affirming existence.
[su_panel background=”#f2f2f2″ color=”#000000″ border=”0px none #ffffff” shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]David M. Howitt is the founder & CEO of Meriwether Group. He is an inspiring thought leader and accomplished entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience providing financial, strategic, and brand counsel to early stage and Fortune 100 companies.
This excerpt was taken from HEED YOUR CALL: Integrating Myth, Science, Spirituality and Business by David M. Howitt and reprinted with permission of Beyond Word Publishing/Atria Books, Hillsboro, Oregon.
image: garryknight via Compfight cc
